



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 





(penciffeb Zitouffi*. 



a Collection of $oemjs 



AND 



BY 

HENRY &ENZEL, Jr. 



%* " Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are 
honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, 
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good 
report ; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think 
on these things."— Phil. 4: 8. 



FOR THE AUTHOR : 

GILLISS BROTHERS & TURNURE, ART AGE PRESS, 

NEW YORK : 

1890. 




TS3I56 



Copyright, 1889, 
By Henry Wenzel, Jr. 



This Volume is Respectfully Inscribed 
TO 

JReb. JSobert Croofe, LMB., 

PASTOR OF 

il?emp0teaD $£♦ <&. Ctiurct), 

Hempstead, L. I., 
During Whose Recent Pastorate at the 

Central ty. <E. Ctiuixfc, 

Brooklyn, N. Y., 
The Most of These Thoughts were Pencilled. 



pnfact. 



THE poems and discourses contained in this 
volume were not written for publication, but 
for the benefit of my friends, at whose request I pub- 
lish them collectively in their present form. 

Most of these thoughts were in part pencilled at 
the age of eighteen, in the only time available to the 
author for such work — the hours of midnight, and 
were not completed till the time of their hasty prepa- 
ration for the press, some two years later. 

The poems grouped under the heading " A Day, " 
are placed in the order of the portion of the day to 
which they refer. Those under the heading " A 
Week, " are in the order of the religious meetings 
held on the Sabbath and on Wednesday and Friday 
evenings, concerning which they were written. To 
poems under other headings no reference need be 
made. 

To those who have aided me in preparing these 
writings for the press I am sincerely grateful, and it 
is my prayer that the thoughts contained therein may 
prove a source of blessing and comfort to all who read 
them. The Author. 

Brooklyn, December, 1889. 



arrangement of ^>utyect& 

PAGE. 

My Aim. 

My Aim - 13 

A Day. 

Sunrise - - - - - '7 

Morning Thoughts - - - 18 

Follow Jesus - - - - - 19 

Life's Diary 20 

Watch and Pray - - - - 21 

Sunset - - - - - - 22 

The Value of Time - - - - 25 

Preparation for Prayer - - - 26 

A Prayer - - - - - 27 

Peaceful Sleep _ - - - 29 

A Week. 

Sabbath Day 33 

Song of Praise - - - - - 34 

Tell the Story - - - - 35 

Class Meeting - - - - - 3 6 

Blessings at Home 38 



8 ARRANGEMENT OF SUBJECTS. 

PAGE. 

Contemplation and Work. 

The Sinner's Lot - - - - 41 

The Love of God 41 

Listen : Speak - - - - - 42 

Sow the Seed 43 

God Will Bless Our Efforts - - - 44 

Incitement to Labor 45 

For Seekers of Religion. 

Redeeming Love - - - - 49 

The Soul's Great Need - - - 50 

Grieve Not the Saviour- - - - 52 

Come to the Saviour 53 

Be Reconciled to God - - - - 54 

Live for God 55 

Start Well : Press On To Win - - 56 

Keep the Prize in View - - - 57 

'Tis Pleasure to Please God - - - 57 

The Christian's Reward 58 

"Come" and "Abide." 

Come unto Me - - - - 61 

Abide in Me - - - - 61 

Trials. 

Trials 65 

What God Chooses is Best - - 66 

We Should Learn This Lesson Better - - 66 



ARRANGEMENT OF SUBJECTS. 9 

PAGE. 

Return Good for Evil. 

" Live it Down " - - - 69 

Though Hard, 'Tis Best - - - 69 

Judge Not ----- 70 

A Lesson From Nature - - - 71 

The Character of God. 

The Best Conception of God 75 

God is Love - - - - - 75 

Meditation. 

Meditation ----- 79 

God's Presence - - - - 79 

Foretastes of Heaven 80 

Friendship. 

To a Friend in Need be True - - 83 

Gratitude's the Only Return - - - 83 

Discouragements. 

A False Impression 87 

The Memory of Sin - - - - 87 

Discouragements 89 

Prayers. 

Thy Spirit, Lord, Impart - - - 93 

Faith, Hope and Charity 94 

Life's Short Day. 

The Flight of Time - - - - 99 

Life ! From Us 'Tis Quickly Fleeting - 100 



IO ARRANGEMENT OF SUBJECTS. 

PAGB. 

Various Subjects. 

Man and Nature - - - - 103 

The Only Refuge - 105 
Jesus ------ io 6 

Woman's Work - - - 106 

Improve the Time - 108 

It Must Not Be - - 108 
Let Thy Will With God's Will Parallel Run - 109 

Instant in Prayer - - - 109 

The Lord's Teaching True - - - no 

Our Doctrines - - - 1 1 1 

Before God's Altar - - - 11 1 

Habits - - - - 112 

The Annunciation - - - - 113 

Gospel Songs. 

Can You Believe? - - - - 117 

There is Healing With the Saviour - - 118 

His Grace is Sufficient for Thee - 119 

Discourses, With Poems. 

The Plan of Salvation - - - 125 

The Gospel Plan (Poem) - - - 130 

Justification By Faith - - - - 135 

The Work and Witness of the Spirit - 147 

The Spirit's Work (Poem) - - -155 



flfo aim. 



MY AIM. 

HOW oft do the fleeting moments 
Prove seasons of richest delight, 
As I try to show to others 

What to them is a hidden light. 
I take my pencil and paper, 

And write, as the thoughts come and go, 
Of Jesus, the Christian and Heaven, 
And things I would like them to know ; 

Sweetly the moments employing. 

While trying my best to impart 
A thought that will set one thinking, 

A word that will soften the heart; 
Contrasting the life at present 

With that of the life soon to be, 
Thus trying to tell to others 

What God hath revealed unto me. 



a jBay, 



SUNRISE. 

SOFTLY o'er the hill-tops stealing, 
See the soft, resplendent ray 
Of the sun in grandeur rising, 
Herald of the coming day; 

Brighter and still brighter glowing, 
Tinting with a gorgeous hue 

Clouds that hover o'er the hill-tops, 
Adding beauty to the view. 

See the sun itself appearing — 
Lo ! the heavens reflect the light, 

And proclaim the rising monarch 
Conqueror o'er the fleeting night. 



As we see the sunlight dawning 
Ere the sun is seen to shine, 

So at first the Light from Heaven 
Shone into your heart and mine. 



18 MORNING THOUGHTS. 

'Twas the light his Word afforded 
That prepared our hearts to see 

Him who, as the Sun of Glory, 
Hath appeared to you and me. 

We may know whom he enlightens, 
For their lives reflect his light ; 

In their souls the Lord hath risen, 
Conqueror o'er nature's night. 



MORNING THOUGHTS. 

IN the early hours of morning, 
When the sun began to rise, 
And its light was fast ascending 

In the distant eastern skies, 
Have I thought of my Creator, 

Who had kept me through the night, 
And again had me awakened 
To behold the morning light. 



FOLLOW JESUS. 19 

As the sun was still ascending, 

And the day had well begun, 
While alike on just and unjust 

Shone the brightly-beaming sun — 
With it were my thoughts still rising, 

As from earth to heaven they soared, 
Till my mind was lost in wonder 

At the matchless love of God. 



FOLLOW JESUS. 

AS day appears and you arise, 
Commit yourself to God, 
And walk each minute of the day 
The path your Saviour trod — 

The path of duty, plain and clear— 

'Tis easy walking there, 
For God, in spirit, walks with you, 

And helps your burdens bear. 



20 life's diary. 

So walk that ev'ry step may be 

One nearer to your God ; 
For this is walking in the path 

In which your Saviour trod. 

As Jesus trod this path to heaven, 
Keep thou his steps in view ; 

For where he trod, there you may tread, 
Where he stepped, there may you. 



LIFE'S DIARY. 

OUR life is like a written book — 
Each day begins a page, 
On which we write, from day to day, 
Our life at ev'ry stage. 

Once written it must e'er remain, 

For we can ne'er erase 
A blot upon the page of time, 

Nor a lost word replace. 



WATCH AND PRAY. 21 

This object our sole aim should be, 

As day by day goes past, 
To make each page, and thus each day, 

Much better than the last. 



WATCH AND PRAY. 

NO words to us more needful are 
To remember day by day, 
Than are found in this commandment 
Of the Saviour's, " Watch and pray." 

Without watching we do little ; 

For, succeed as best we may, 
We could do a great deal better 

If we'd daily watch and pray. 

Then let us ever watchful be 
Till our armor down we lay, 

Rememb'ring 'tis the Lord's command 
That we daily watch and pray. 



22 SUNSET. 



SUNSET. 

HOW sweet the time has been to me 
When, quiet and alone, 
I watched the setting of the sun, 

Its beauty as it shone 
Above the hills, so far away 

As scarcely to be seen, 
Except by light of fading day — 
The golden sunset's sheen. 

The colors bright, the gold and red 

Around the softer blue, 
The silver, yellow and the green, 

And those of darker hue — 
I see them as they fade away, 

Blend softly into one, 
Till they grow faint and die away, 

And vanish with the sun. 



SUNSET. 23 

My being is with rapture filled, 

My mind is lost in thought. 
I think of him who made the sun, 

And all these beauties wrought ; 
I marvel at his wondrous power, 

His wisdom and his might 
At whose command the sun appeared, 

And day emerged from night. 

I think of how, when I was in 

The darkness of sin's night, 
He bade the Sun of Righteousness 

Give unto me his light. 
And though, by his own works revealed, 

The power of God I see, 
I think of wonder far more great, 

The love of God to me. 



I pray the sunset of my life, 

As viewed by God above, 
May have its colors bright with joy, 

Its dark clouds tinged with love ; 



24 SUNSET. 

The clear blue sky of faith and hope, 

The golden light of peace, 
May blend into a tranquil one 

As my life's work shall cease. 

How sweetly, then, the dawn will come 

Upon my soul above, 
Where all is peace and joy and rest, 

Where reigns the God of love ; 
Where I shall see my Saviour's face, 

And those now with him there 
Who once with me rejoiced below, 

And helped my burdens bear. 

They dwell in realms of pure delight, 

Beyond yon dark'ning skies ; 
They walk in spotless white the streets 

Of God's sweet paradise. 
Soon I with them shall share the joys 

Of that bright land above, 
The land of peace and joy and rest, 

God's paradise of love. 



THE VALUE OF TIME. 25 



THE VALUE OF TIME. 

FEEBLE, tott'ring o'er the grave, 
Bound by fear a wretched slave, 
Agonizing at the thought of death, 
Thinking, Were it mine to give 
All the world could I but live, 

Willingly I'd give it for my breath— 
As I feel it fleeting fast — 
That I might look o'er the past 

With repentance, view it through my tears, 
Wishing that, at this late day, 
They could wash the sins away 

That have darkened all my former years. 
# * * * * 

Were it in the lot of fate 
Such condition were my state, 

Little more could I regret the flight 
Of the hours fleeting by 
Even then than now do I, 



26 PREPARATION FOR PRAYER. 

As I in the silence of the night 
Look back o'er the day just gone 
To the early hours of morn, 

And see all that I have left undone, 
Asking, if I so much see 
Chargeable therein to me, 

What has God seen since the rising sun ? 



PREPARATION FOR PRAYER. 

HOW sweet it is at close of day, 
When night is passing fast away, 
To think, before we kneel to pray, 
Of what our prayer shall be. 

As we look back upon the way 
That God hath led us through the day, 
Our thankfulness fits us to pray 
To him acceptably. 

Or as we think, with morning's light, 
How God hath kept us through the night, 
Our gratitude prepares aright 
Our hearts and minds for prayer. 



A PRAYER. 27 

And, while we think, 'tis right that we 
Consider what our wants may be ; 
Then we should pray consistently 
For those things which we need. 

And unto prayer we should not go 
To ask for blessings which we know 
If God on us should them bestow, 
We'd be surprised indeed. 



A PRAYER. 

T ESUS, Eternal God, Creator, 
J Who didst make from naught 
This earth, and by thy power 

Dost support all things 
Therein, and from their birth 

Until their death preserve, 
To thee I pray : 
O thou who art the first and last, 
Beyond the future and the past, 
Who in thy loving mercy hast 

Washed all my sins away, 

Accept my ev'ning prayer: 



28 A PRAYER. 

" Now I lay me down to sleep, 
I pray the Lord my soul to keep." 

For thou who keepest heavenly spheres 

Encircling round this globe 
From contact with each other free, 
Thou surely -canst keep me ! 

" If I should die before I wake, 
I pray the Lord my soul to take." 

O thou who gavest unto those 
Who loved and served thee 

This promise, Where I am, 
There also thou shalt be, 
To thee I pray ! 

" If I should die before I wake," 
Do thou, O Lord, my spirit take. 



PEACEFUL SLEEP. 29 



PEACEFUL SLEEP. 

NOW I lay my weary body 
Down, and sweetly will I sleep, 
While the angels, hov'ring o'er me, 

Shall their constant vigils keep ; 
They will sweetly guard my spirit 

Through the silent hours of night, 
Till upon the coming morrow 
I behold the morning light. 

May be that the coming morrow 

Shall upon my spirit dawn 
In a land where the to-morrow 

Is forevermore unborn. 
So to rest I lay my body, 

By life's burdens sore oppressed, 
Glad if I awake to labor, 

Or if I awake to rest. 



a ftKeefc. 



SABBATH DAY. 

ANOTHER week is past and gone, 
Another Sabbath has begun ; 
Oh, may we on this holy day 
With rev'rence worship, praise and pray. 

And as we listen to thy Word, 
May all its truths be felt as heard, 
And then, in thine appointed way, 
Be put in practice day by day. 

Oh, may thy praise our hearts inspire — 
Grant unto us that heavenly fire 
That burneth out all dross within, 
That cleanseth us from ev'ry sin. 

Let ev'ry mind from care be free 
As we shall look in prayer to thee, 
Asking of thee, ere we shall part, 
To bless and strengthen ev'ry heart. 



34 SONG OF PRAISE. 

So shall the blessings of this day 
Encourage us as on our way 
We journey to that land of peace 
Where Sabbath joys shall never cease. 



SONG OF PRAISE. 

OUR Father, God, we worship thee, 
In this our song of praise, 
For all thy blessings and thy love 
To us in by-gone days. 

We praise thee for thy greatest gift — 

Thy blessed, only Son, 
Who through his life and by his death 

Hath our salvation won. 

We praise thee for the Holy Ghost — 

Thy Spirit — freely given 
To help us here on earth below 

To fit our souls for heaven. 



TELL THE STORY. 35 

We praise thee for thy blessed Word, 

Thy messenger of light — 
A chart, illumined by thy grace, 

To guide our souls aright. 

May these great blessings of thy love 

Our portion ever be 
Till life shall end, and we shall reign 

Forever, Lord, with thee. 



TELL THE STORY. 

THERE is a story unto which 
Each day adds something new ; 
Come, tell it now — you know it well : 
What has God done for you ? 

Has he been leading you in paths 

By waters still and calm, 
Where peace and joy and rest are found, 

And naught your soul can harm ? 



36 CLASS MEETING. 

Or has the way been dark and drear, 
Your eye of faith been dim, 

And have you wandered from the path 
That you should travel in? 

If so, to us your failings tell, 
Or now your joy impart — 

'Twill help us, for no doubt 'twill find 
An echo in some heart. 

So speak — the time is passing by, 
The moments are but few. 

Come, tell us now the love of God, 
The story ever new. 



CLASS MEETING. 

AS years go by, from week to week 
We meet together here, 
By prayer and song and sympathy 
Each other's hearts to cheer ; 



CLASS MEETING. 37 

To tell of Jesus and his love — 
How, trusting in his might, 

We've tried to lead poor sinful souls 
From darkness into light. 

We tell how Satan oft has tried 
Our souls from Christ to win, 

How by obedience and faith 
We've conquered over sin. 

Sometimes we have to tell, with pain, 

That in temptation's hour, 
Relying on ourselves, we've been 

O'ercome by Satan's power ; 

That, pleading we could little do, 
We've naught of work begun, 

Or, waiting some great thing to do, 
Have left all work undone. 

And thus the faithful tell their joy, 
The erring ones their shame, 

Then all unite in songs of love 
To praise the Saviour's name. 



38 BLESSINGS AT HOME. 

The time goes by — we part again ; 

But, though the hour has past, 
The lessons from each other learned 

Throughout our lives shall last. 



BLESSINGS AT HOME. 

IT seems to be God's will that some 
Should labor not abroad, but home ; 
Deprived of public means of grace, 
Their home becomes the meeting-place 
Where God vouchsafes to grant to them 

What others in communion find 
With those who worship in his house — 
A happy heart and peaceful mind. 



Contemplation ano Moth. 



THE SINNER'S LOT. 

WITH pity and love for the sinner 
I think of his lost estate— 
His life in itself but a shadow 

Of the death his soul doth await ; 
No thought of the unending future 
But darkness and deep despair ; 
No hope of the heaven hereafter, 

Or the crown that the saints shall wear. 



THE love of God makes us to feel 
The dreadful guilt of sin, 
And causes us to sympathize 
With those enthralled therein. 



42 LISTEN : SPEAK. 



LISTEN : SPEAK. 

LISTEN ! Children of the Lord, 
Redeemed from death by him ; 
Listen to the piercing cry 
Of those in depths of sin. 

Listen to the solemn moan, 
The low, despairing sound : 

Listen ! those were once your words- 
Oh ! where can rest be found ? 

Listen ! Jesus speaks to you : 

From sin I set you free. 
Listen ! tell these dying souls 

They can find rest in me. 

Speak of how from sin and death 
The Lord hath set you free ; 

Speak till those in depths of sin 
Do his salvation see. 



SOW THE SEED. 43 

Speak to ev'ry sinful heart, 
No matter where 'tis found ; 

Speak to those once on the rock, 
But now on sinking ground. 

Speak ! for God will bless your words, 
Although they be but few ; 

Speak by actions, words and deeds 
Of God's great love to you. 



SOW THE SEED. 

AS Christians we should sow the seed, 
And discouraged never be ; 
We should labor on with patience, 
And expect the fruit to see. 

We should never be impatient, 

Nor expect the fruit to see 
On the sapling while 'tis growing 

That we find upon the tree; 



44 SOW THE SEED. 

Nor forget upon the sapling 
To bestow our special care — 

From the sapling that's neglected 
Grows the tree that does not bear. 

Neither should we cease our pruning 
If the tree no fruit doth bear, 

Nor declare it dead or fruitless 
While the germ of life is there. 

Nor, perchance the tree dies fruitless, 

Does it lessen our reward ; 
We must sow the seed and labor 

For the fruit — which comes from God. 

Then let us toil and labor on, 

And discouraged never be ; 
Let us sow the seed with patience, 

And expect the fruit to see. 



GOD will bless our efforts 
If our lives are true ; 
He will make all prosper 
That for him we do. 



INCITEMENT TO LABOR. 45 



INCITEMENT TO LABOR. 

TO know that God doth me employ, 
And granteth me a place 
In which to sow the seed of truth, 

And waters with his grace 
The seed I sow, till it springs forth 

And blossoms as the rose, 
Incites me still to labor on, 
Whatever may oppose. 

For God selects for me the ground, 

And giveth me the seed, 
And for the work of sowing truth 

Doth furnish all I need. 
Tis mine, then, but to sow the seed, 

To sow and never cease ; 
The seed I sow God makes to grow, 

And gives the blest increase. 



if ot ^>ee6et# of IReWgion. 



REDEEMING LOVE. 

HOW wondrous this great gift of God- 
His all-redeeming love — 
Which comes to poor benighted man 
As light from heaven above ! 

How wondrous that, in those dark hours 

Of sin and nature's night, 
The fulness of the time had come 

To give mankind that light ! 

How wondrous that the light shone on 

Till night became as day, 
And that mankind could hear those words 

From Christ, " I am the way ! " 

How wondrous that the light now shines, 

That we can see its flame, 
And know that, as it saves from sin, 

It keeps us from the same! 



$0 THE SOUL'S GREAT NEED. 

How wondrous that the light will shine 

Till we at last find rest 
Among the saints of Christ, in God, 

In regions of the blest ! 



"In every human being there is a capacity for receiving God. 
There is a need which God alone can supply. Even in persons who 
live in sin and self and in the world, the consciousness of this inner 
hungering for something which they cannot find is at times keen and 
intense. In the devoted, consecrated Christian this capacity de- 
velops into a faculty for union with God. When we have once 
entered upon this life of feeding upon God we can never be satisfied 
with the world. Nothing else satisfies us but the personality of God 
himself. Man was made to live upon God." 



THE SOUL'S GREAT NEED. 

THERE is in ev'ry heart a strife, 
A strife that God alone can still 
There is in ev'ry soul a void, 
A void that God alone can fill. 

It seems as if 'twas God's design 
When first he formed a human soul 

That he himself should there abide, 
And occupy, and fill the whole. 



THE SOUL'S GREAT NEED. 5 I 

Once did man forfeit by his sin 

The Spirit-life that God had given ; 

Since then for that departed life 

The needy soul of man hath striven. 

Those who, in sinful pleasure, strive 
To drown the keener sense of need, 

Do but enlarge the void within 
By ev'ry sinful thought and deed. 

'Tis not a lack of earthly joy 
The needy soul of man reveals ; 

The need of union with its God — 
The lack of God within it feels. 

The soul that to its Maker yields 

Itself without reserve, to be 
With his own presence sweetly filled, 

Shall from all sense of want be free. 

Depending day by day on him 
For each returning day's supply, 

It finds in God its ev'ry need, 
For which it will on God rely. 



52 GRIEVE NOT THE SAVIOUR. 



GRIEVE NOT THE SAVIOUR. 

WHEN, with heart of love and pity, 
We a helping hand would lend, 
Or would speak a word of comfort 
To a tried and troubled friend ; 
How 'twould fill our hearts with sorrow 

Were our helping hand refused, 
Were our cheering words rejected, 
And our sympathy abused. 

How it would increase our sorrow 

Were it to our minds made clear 
That our motives were suspected, 

Or considered insincere. 
No endeavor in the future 

For the wrong could make amend — 
We would feel we were not treated 

As a friend should treat a friend. 



COME TO THE SAVIOUR. 53 

Jesus to the heavy-laden 

Is of friends the very best ; 
He with love and pity calls them : 

Come to me, I'll give you rest. 
Oh, ye weary, heavy-laden, 

Grieve not him who waits to aid ; 
Rest not till you've found the Saviour, 

At his feet your burdens laid. 



COME TO THE SAVIOUR. 

COME to me, ye heavy-laden, 
Lab'ring 'neath a load of care 
'Tis the Saviour sweetly calling : 
Bring it unto me in prayer. 

Flee to him who sweetly calls you, 
Answer to his call in prayer: 

Lord, I bring thee all my burden, 
Cast on thee my ev'ry care. 



54 BE RECONCILED TO GOD. 



BE RECONCILED TO GOD. 

COME, seek the Lord without delay- 
No loss of time can you afford ; 
We plead with you, in Jesus' stead, 
Be reconciled to God. 

There is no virtue in this rail 

At which we bid you humbly bow ; 

By coming you express your need 
Of God's salvation now. 

Then come, all ye who feel your need, 
And by this act make known 

That you forsake all other hope 
To trust in Christ alone. 



LIVE FOR GOD. 55 



LIVE FOR GOD. 

YOU know there is a God, 
You know his Word is true, 
And when you read therein believe 
That Jesus died for you. 

You know that by his death 

Your God is reconciled, 
That, if you but believe it true, 

You are indeed his child. 

Then why not as a child 

Of God resolve to live, 
To him who gave his life for you 

Your life henceforth to give? 



56 START WELL: PRESS ON TO WIN. 



START WELL : PRESS ON TO WIN. 

START well, young soul, start well ; 
Make ev'ry action tell 
For God and your advancement ; 
Start well, young soul, start well. 

Press on, young soul, press on, 
And keep your eye upon 

The crown for you awaiting ; 
Press on, young soul, press on. 

To win, young soul, to win, 
You must continue in 

The good way and ever pray — 
To win, young soul, to win. 



KEEP THE PRIZE IN VIEW. 57 



KEEP THE PRIZE IN VIEW. 

THE Christian who would gladly run 
The way of God's commands 
Will bear no burden on his back, 

No weight within his hands ; 
But, thrusting off his load of sin, 

And ev'ry weight of care, 
Will onward urge his way to heaven — 
A crown awaits him there. 



TIS PLEASURE TO PLEASE GOD. 

NO happiness, no earthly joy 
Can such sweet peace afford 
As feels the Christian when he knows 
His ways do please the Lord. 



58 THE CHRISTIAN'S REWARD. 

He cares not for the worldling's scoff- 
It is to him a sign 

That he is Christ's, if such as scorned 
His Lord do him malign. 

For he who in his walk in life 

A Christ-like spirit shows, 
With opposition — like his Lord — 

Will meet where'er he goes. 

So, then, my brother, if the world 
Doth not thy way applaud, 

Remember that we cannot please 
The world and please the Lord. 



THE CHRISTIAN'S REWARD. 

GLADLY let us toil and labor 
For the Christian's sweet reward- 
To enjoy the Master's favor, 

And to know that we please God. 



"Come" ana "abioe." 



COME UNTO ME. 

COME unto me, ye that labor, 
Or that heavy-laden be ; 
Many though thy cares and sorrows, 
Ev'ry one now cast on me. 

Unto me bring ev'ry burden — 
None can be too great or small ; 
Though some seem to overwhelm thee, 
On me freely cast them all. 

Many though life's burdens may be, 
Ev'ry one I'll bear for thee. 



ABIDE IN ME. 

I AM the vine, the branches ye, 
Ye must abide in me ; 
Apart from me naught can ye do, 
For I must strengthen thee. 



62 ABIDE IN ME. 

Herein ye glorify my name, 
If ye much fruit do bear ; 

So my disciples shall ye be, 
And in my love shall share. 

If ye love me, then ye shall ask 
Of me whate'er ye will ; 

My promise is, I'll give it thee, 
That promise I'll fulfil. 

My friends, not servants shall ye be, 
If this one thing do ye — 

To one another show such love 
As I have shown toward thee. 

Abide in me and I in thee, 
And naught can sever thee 

From God, but with him thou shalt 
reign 
Through all eternity. 



Ctfal& 



TRIALS. 

EACH trial patiently receive, 
And with submission bear 
Whatever with it God may send, 
Of sorrow or of care. 

Think not thy trial too severe, 
Nor murmur nor complain ; 

To know it cometh from the Lord 
Alleviates our pain. 

The raging winds and troubled sea 

Were subject to his will, 
So are thy trials — they shall cease 

When he shall speak, " Be still." 

As in the stilling of the waves 

God's power we may see, 
By thy submission God would teach 

The power of love in thee. 



66 WHAT GOD CHOOSES IS BEST. 

WHAT GOD CHOOSES IS BEST. 

THOSE who in God's wisdom 
Their confidence rest 
Believe what he chooses 
For them is the best. 

They suffer with meekness 

Whatever his will, 
Believing his promise 

He'll surely fulfill- 
All things shall for those who 

Love God work for good ; 
And trusting his guidance, 

Though not understood, 

They bear with submission 

Whate'er he may send, 
And doubt not that all will 

Be well in the end. 



WE should learn this lesson better 
From each sorrow and each care 
God will strengthen us to bear them, 
If we look to him in prayer. 



mtutn d&ooD for €Ul 



"LIVE IT DOWN." 

MANY things we do and mention 
With the very best intention 
Are by others very often misconstrued ; 
But, though smiles beget a frown, 
Smile again and " Live it down," 
By returning for the evil naught but good. 



THOUGH HARD, 'TIS BEST. 

HOW hard it is, when sorely tried 
By any unkind word, 
To hold the tongue, and not resent 
That which we may have heard. 
Though hard, it is the better plan 

To mutely bear its pain, 
Than in the future have to bear 
Perhaps as much again. 



70 JUDGE NOT. 

For, with the trials o'er, to know 

He used an angry word 
Would to the Christian cause more pain 

Than aught he might have heard. 



JUDGE NOT. 

ALL men on the earth are sinful, 
All deserve the wrath of God, 
Therefore to condemn another 
None can very well afford. 

Think, before you judge another, 
To restraining grace 'tis due 

That the faults you find in others 
Are not also found in you. 



A LESSON FROM NATURE. 7 1 



A LESSON FROM NATURE. 

AS the stream among the mountains, 
Small and shallow though it be, 
Falling spreads o'er rocks beneath it 

Spray most beautiful to see, 
Hiding all their ragged edges 

'Neath its cloak of foamy white, 
Thus presenting naught but beauty 
To the rapt beholder's sight : 

So should we, when in another 

Ragged rocks of fault we see, 
Try to lovingly conceal them 

'Neath the cloak of charity, 
Like the mountain stream withholding 

Them from the beholder's view, 
Which is doing unto others 

As you'd have them do to you. 



€^e C^aractet; of dEtoti. 



THE BEST CONCEPTION OF GOD. 

SEEKING out the best conception 
Of the mighty God above, 
This I found, without exception, 
To be sweetest, God is love. 



GOD IS LOVE. 

FROM this house of flesh incarnate 
Within which my soul is stayed, 
Looking out upon the beauties 

Of a world divinely made, 
Through the windows of the vision 

Often have I looked above, 
For earth's beauties, pointing skyward, 
Sweetly whispered — God is Love. 



jtteuitatfon. 



MEDITATION. 

IN times when from my mind, O God, 
All other objects flee, 
How sweet it is to meditate, 
To think alone of thee. 

While thinking of thy might and power 

My soul is over-awed ; 
The silence seems to speak— " Be still, 

And know that I am God." 



GOD'S PRESENCE. 

MY soul has never known 
A sweeter hour than this, 
A foretaste of the joy of heaven, 
And everlasting bliss. 



80 FORETASTES OF HEAVEN. 

To know that God is near, 
To feel his Spirit's power — 

Could aught but heaven afford the joy 
And bliss I've felt this hour ? 



FORETASTES OF HEAVEN. 

TO us, as children of the Lord, 
In various ways are given 
Sweet foretastes of the joy reserved 
And waiting us in heaven. 



ifrfenti^fp. 



TO A FRIEND IN NEED BE TRUE. 

TO a friend in need be faithful, 
To a friend in need be true, 
Trying to do unto others 

As you'd have them do to you. 

And remember, though thy kindness 
From the world meets no applaud, 

Ev'ry kindness to God's creatures 
Is a kindness to the Lord. 



GRATITUDE'S the only return 
That anyone should ask 
For any kindness shown a friend, 
E'en though it be a task. 



©tecowragementis. 



A FALSE IMPRESSION. 

HOW sorrowful my heart and sad — 
A moment since 'twas bright and 
glad, 
Now full of grief and pain, 
Caused by a false impression lent 
To one who knew not what I meant — 
By words I spoke with good intent, 
But can't recall again. 



THE MEMORY OF SIN. 

IN life how many times do we 
Through disobedience, 
Or, by that which is even worse, 

By wilful negligence 
Of God's commands — upon ourselves 
Bring condemnation's pain, 



88 THE MEMORY OF SIN. 

Relief from which 'tis hard to find, 

To make us feel again 
As when we were from sorrow's care 

And guilty conscience free, 
Keeping all of God's commands 

With strict fidelity. 

Tis said of Peter that through life 

At each cock crow he cried 
For sorrow, at the memory 

That he his Lord denied. 
'Tis so with us in after life, 

As mem'ry doth recall 
To mind the sins of former years, 

However great or small — 
Though God forgives, yet we regret 

Whate'er that may have been 
Which mem'ry, looking o'er the past, 

Pronounces wilful sin. 



DISCOURAGEMENTS. 89 



DISCOURAGEMENTS. 

OFTEN do we feel discouraged, 
Often think we live in vain, 
Think as Christians we're a failure, 
That we scarce deserve the name. 

Often do we feel disheartened, 
And, because we ofttimes fall, 

Think perchance we are not Christians, 
That we never were at all. 



$ta¥tf& 



THY SPIRIT, LORD, IMPART. 

TO us, O Lord, we pray, do thou 
Thy Spirit now impart ; 
Oh, may the Comforter descend, 
And reign in ev'ry heart. 



Then shall we labor here below 
With holy zeal and love, 

Serving with joyful hearts our God, 
As angels do above. 



And as our days fleet quickly by, 
And we draw near our home, 

Oh, may the richest joys of grace 
In fullest power come. 



94 FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY. 



FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY. 

THERE are three graces, Lord, we need, 
And now desire of thee, 
Which only thou alone canst give — 
Faith, Hope and Charity. 

FAITH. 

'Tis Faith that takes God at his word, 

And trusts him to fulfil 
His ev'ry promise unto those 

Who strive to do his will. 

HOPE. 

Tis Hope that makes our hearts rejoice 

As victories we gain, 
And lights with joy the way to heaven 

Till we its end attain. 



FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY. 95 

CHARITY. 

Tis Charity, the bond of love 
By which God's love we see, 

That makes us feel — I love my God, 
Because he first loved me. 

And now on us, we pray, bestow 

Faith, Hope and Charity, 
And may they e'er with us abide 

Till we thy glory see. 



life's ^ott &ay t 



THE FLIGHT OF TIME. 

LIFE ! How fleeting, how uncertain ! 
Ev'ry moment that has passed 
But more forcibly reminds us 
That the next may be our last. 

Little do we heed the moments 

As they swiftly glide away, 
Stealing one by one the minutes 

From the morning of life's day, 

Till the busy world around us, 

With its bustle and its strife, 
Calls to mind that time hath brought us 

Midway to the noon of life, 

With but half the morn remaining 
Ere we reach life's sunny noon. 

Ah ! the busy moments fleeting 
Close life's morning far too soon. 



IOO THE FLIGHT OF TIME. 

After noon the busy hours 
Pass as moments swiftly by, 

While the sun is fast descending 
Midway in life's western sky. 

Swiftly, swiftly, oh, how swiftly 
Does its quickly fading ray 

Bring us unto life's brief sunset, 
To the ending of life's day. 

Solemn are life's closing moments, 
As we mark our fleeting breath 

Till our heart doth cease its beating, 
And we fall asleep in death. 

Oh, that we had in life's morning 
Thus to value time begun : 

Time flies quickly, from life's morning 
Till the day of life is done. 



LIFE ! From us 'tis quickly fleeting- 
Fleeting with our ev'ry breath ; 
At each heart-beat one step nearer 
Comes the messenger of death. 



teartoujEi Subjects. 



MAN AND NATURE. 

NATURE! What a vast world of 
thought arises from this word ! 
So great her glories are that night and day 

their voice is heard 
On land and sea, unceasingly, to speak alone 

of thee, 
Their Maker and Preserver, throughout 
time's eternity. 

The sun and moon, the stars so bright — 
those firmly fixed in place, 

And those that dart with light'ning speed 
through countless miles of space — 

Speak to us — thy power tell, as naught but 
thy creations can, 

And by their grandeur make us feel the little- 
ness of man. 



104 MAN AND NATURE. 

Oh ! What is man, that thou should'st care 

for his unworthy heart? 
That in thy love and mercy thou should'st 

grant to him a part ? 
A soul thou gavest unto him, a copy of 

thine own, 
Eternal life and peace and joy, to Nature all 

unknown. 

Man is born, he lives, he dies, is buried, and 

whence has gone ? 
If God's beloved, to his God, to meet him at 

his throne, 
There to behold, with rapturous joy, his 

blessed Saviour's face, 
And sing, through all eternity, the wonders 

of his grace ; 

Whilst Nature can but stand secure till 

Earth shall melt away 
In fervent heat, as God declares it shall be 

on that day 
When all the things of time shall cease, and 

live on nothing can 
Except the never-dying soul he giveth unto 

man. 



THE ONLY REFUGE. I05 



THE ONLY REFUGE. 

WHEN my sins, as waves of ocean, 
Round me rose on ev'ry side, 
From the billows' fierce commotion 
Sought my soul a place to hide — 
Sought and found the only refuge 

From the storms of life's rough sea — 
Sought and found the Rock of Ages, 
Rock of Ages cleft for me. 

Jesus is the only refuge 

From the storms of life's rough sea ; 
As each storm is seen approaching, 

To this Rock my soul doth flee ; 
From its hiding-place in Jesus 

Sees the storm in fury break 
Far below on the foundation 

Of the Rock no storm can shake ; 

Looks in safety from this refuge 

On each fitful storm of life, 
Fearing not the waves' commotion, 

Nor the billows' angry strife. 



106 JESUS. 

For in thee, thou Rock, I'm resting, 
In thy cleft from danger free. 

Matchless love ! I'm lost in wonder ! 
Cleft that I might hide in thee ! 



JESUS. 



Jesus died for me, 

Kven left his throne above, 

So that he might show his love 

Unto sinful man below — 

So that I that love might know. 



WOMAN'S WORK. 

LOOK upon each dying brother 
As a soul Christ died to save 
Perishing without salvation, 
For his soul's salvation crave. 



woman's work. 107 

But shall man be saved by woman ? 

Haste to lay such thoughts aside ; 
See naught in a dying brother 

But a soul for whom Christ died. 

If you feel God's Spirit prompts you, 

Speak to him, at any cost — 
You may lead him to the Saviour, 

If you don't he may be lost. 

May be lost ! to you, my sister, 

If the future should reveal 
That, because you did not seek him, 

He was lost, how would you feel ? 

Wait not, then, while souls are dying, 
For the Saviour speaks to you : 

What ye do for these, my brethren, 
Such also for me ye do. 



108 IMPROVE THE TIME. 



IMPROVE THE TIME. 

TEACH us, O Lord, whene'er we meet 
To speak as Christians should, 
And may our conversation tend 
To one another's good. 

Oh, teach us to employ the time, 

Each moment, as we ought, 
And may our ev'ry meeting be 

With richest blessing fraught. 



IT MUST NOT BE. 

YET once more I write of Jesus, 
Telling of his wondrous power, 
How he aids us, through the Spirit, 

In temptation's darkest hour 
This one thought to bring before thee — 

'Tis the Saviour speaks to thee 
When, though thou would'st not so reason, 
Conscience says : It must not be. 



IT MUST NOT BE. IO9 

Must not be ! obey thy conscience ; 

This is not a stern command, 
But a loving word of counsel 

From a friend now close at hand — 
One who was in all points tempted, 

Even tempted like as we ; 
Yes, 'tis Jesus, through the Spirit, 

Teaching us : It must not be. 



LET thy will with God's will parallel 
run, 
Then thou canst boldly say, " Thy will be 

done," 
Knowing that thy will and God's will are 
one. 



INSTANT in prayer — this does not mean 
Unceasingly with God to plead, 
But constantly on him to lean, 
A prayer to God for ev'ry need. 



IIO THE LORDS TEACHING TRUE. 



THE LORD'S TEACHING TRUE. 

THE lives of those who love the Lord 
Convince us that 'tis true, 
Who rightly cares for his own soul 
Cares for his brother's too. 

The lives of those who love not God 
This fact have clearly shown : 

Who cares not for his brother's soul 
Cares little for his own. 

Thus do men's lives attest as true 

The teaching of the Lord : 
Who loves not him whom he hath seen 

Loves not the unseen God. 



OUR DOCTRINES. Ill 



OUR DOCTRINES. 

ONLY Scripture can determine 
Whether they are right or wrong 
We will find them in the Scripture, 
If to Scripture they belong. 

For as Scripture never changes, 
But the same doth e'er remain, 

If from Scripture they were taken, 
We will find them there again. 



BEFORE GOD'S ALTAR. 

BEFORE God's altar standing, 
Husband and wife to-day 
Their covenant renewing — 
Their Saviour to obey, 
Are to his Church united, 

In heart and purpose one 
To glorify together 

The name of his dear Son. 



112 HABITS. 

Oh, may they e'er be faithful, 

To all their vows be true, 
Their talents all employing 

Thy will on earth to do, 
Till thou who them united 

As one in bonds of love, 
As one in love receive them 

Into thy Church above. 



HABITS. 

THERE'S a habit so common 
'Tis missed in but few ; 
'Tis the habit of boasting 
Of what we can do. 

There's a habit more common — 
Too common, 'tis true ; 

'Tis the habit of shirking 
That which we can do. 

There's a habit not common — 

'Tis found in but few ; 
'Tis the doing, not boasting 

Of what we can do. 



THE ANNUNCIATION. 



THE ANNUNCIATION. 

NEAR to the town of Bethlehem, 
By night, while others slept, 
The shepherds, watching o'er their sheep, 

Their faithful vigils kept, 
When, lo ! an angel of the Lord 

Came down 'mid heavenly light — 
They saw the glory of the Lord, 
And trembled at the sight. 

Fear not ! to them the angel said ; 

To you and all the earth 
Good tidings of great joy I bring, 

Of Christ the Saviour's birth ; 
And this shall be to you a sign : 

In Bethlehem's manger laid, 
Enwrapt in swaddling clothes, you'll find 

The heavenly babe displayed. 

But ere the angel of the Lord 

Had thus his message given, 
With him a multitude appeared, 

A glorious host from heaven, 



114 THE ANNUNCIATION. 

Saying, Glory be to God on high, 
Peace and good-will toward men, 

Announcing thus the birth of Christ, 
The Babe of Bethlehem. 



d&oispel ^ongjs. 



CAN YOU BELIEVE? 

CAN you believe, my brother, 
That Jesus died for you? 
Can you believe God's message 
Of salvation is true? 



CHORUS. 
Can you believe, will you not trust, 

Do you accept as true 
God's message of salvation, 

That Jesus died for you ? 

Will you not trust, my brother, 
The work that Christ hath done ? 

Will you not claim salvation 

Through faith in God's dear Son? 

Do you accept, my brother, 
The word of God as true? 

Do you accept the pardon 
That now he offers you ? 



1 1 8 THERE IS HEALING WITH THE SAVIOUR. 



THERE IS HEALING WITH THE 
SAVIOUR. 

TO each weary, sin-sick mortal 
The blessed Saviour's voice 
Is sweetly, tenderly calling: 
Repent, believe, rejoice. 

CHORUS. 
There is healing with the Saviour 

For ev'ry sin-sick soul ; 
With such the Saviour is pleading: 

Believe and be made whole. 

The whole need not a physician, 
The sick Christ came to save ; 

Oh, trust in him for salvation — 
For you his life he gave. 

Think not to mend your condition, 
You could not if you tried ; 

For such weak and helpless sinners 
The blessed Saviour died. 



HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE. 1 1 9 

Then come, weary, sin-sick mortal, 
To him who waits to cure ; 

The Great Physician will heal you, 
Will cleanse and make you pure. 



HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR 
THEE. 

ART thou with sin heavy-laden, 
And longing in vain to be free? 
Flee to the dear, loving Saviour, 
Whose grace is sufficient for thee. 

CHORUS. 
His grace is sufficient for thee, 

His grace is sufficient for thee ; 
Flee to the dear, loving Saviour, 

Whose grace is sufficient for thee. 



20 HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE. 

Sin's yoke, though heavy, can never 
Keep thee — if for pardon thou'lt flee — 

From Jesus, the loving Saviour, 
Whose grace is sufficient for thee. 

By grace thou shalt find salvation, 
Through faith, and with no other plea 

Than the blood of the dear Saviour, 
Whose grace is sufficient for thee. 



©iscourfirts, T3W# (poems. 



€^e #lan of ^albatfon. 



W$z Wpel $lan ($oem). 



THE PLAN OF SALVATION. 

"TN the beginning God created the heaven 
1 and the earth." (Gen. i: I.) " So 
God created man in his own image." (Gen. 
i : 27.) " And the Lord God planted a gar- 
den eastward in Eden ; and there he put the 
man whom he had formed" (Gen. 2: 8), 
whom he promised to bless, if obedient ; 
whom he threatened with death, should he 
disobey. Adam, the man whom God had 
created, disobeyed God, and, as a conse- 
quence, the seed of spiritual death — which 
began in Adam — has been transmitted to 
all his descendants ; so you and I find our- 
selves " inclined to evil, and that continu- 
ally," because we have inherited from Adam 
a sinful nature. 

God had decreed in the beginning the 
death of the soul as the penalty of sin ; so 
you and I, with men of all ages — " for all 



126 THE PLAN OF SALVATION. 

have sinned " — were, even at the Fall, fore- 
seen to finally deserve the wrath of God on 
account of sin, which the sinful nature in- 
herited from Adam would cause us to com- 
mit. Therefore, in the sight of God all 
men must be forever lost, unless he provide 
some way for their escape from the penalty 
of sin. 

In providing a way of escape God had to 
provide that the penalty of sin be paid, else 
he would have disregarded his holy law, 
which decreed that the soul that sinned 
should die. So God, out of the great love 
wherewith he loved us, " gave his only be- 
gotten Son " (who fulfilled all righteous- 
ness), who willingly died to pay the pen- 
alty of our sin, that God might give unto us 
the reward he merited by his righteousness. 
In other words, Jesus, who was righteous, 
merited eternal life and all its blessings : we, 
by our sins, merited death. God laid upon 
Jesus (who never sinned) the penalty of our 
sin, that it might be possible to give us (who 
never merited anything but death) the re- 



THE PLAN OF SALVATION. 1 27 

ward that Jesus merited. Thus God pro- 
vided for the salvation of sinners and the sat- 
isfaction of the demands of his holy 
law. 

God has made Faith — belief in what God 
has said concerning the salvation of your 
soul by the death of his Son — the condition 
upon which you shall be treated as right- 
eous, instead of sinful. Never to doubt 
that, because Jesus died in your stead, you 
shall receive the eternal life which was his, 
but which he gave to you when he took in 
exchange the penalty of your sin, is to con- 
tinually have saving faith in the Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

The motive that moves us to repent of 
our sin (to " cease to do evil" and " learn to 
do well") is the love of God, which we see 
displayed toward such sinners as we in the 
gift of his Son to die in our stead ; and ever 
after we have a new motive within by which 
we act — that of love to God — the responsive 
love, the knowledge of his love to us, kindled 
in our hearts. Thus, after believing in Jesus 



128 THE PLAN OF SALVATION. 

as our Saviour, we try to live to please God 
because we love him. 

Any works performed before conversion — 
before we were actuated by the new motive of 
love to God — were not acceptable to God ; 
and why ? Because we did them, not out of 
a spirit of love ; but now, loving God, he ac- 
cepts our works as evidences of our grati- 
tude and love, and as such works they 
meet his approval ; and he has promised to 
finally reward us in heaven, with greater or 
less honor, according to our works. 

But God knows that, though actuated by 
this new impulse of grateful love, yet, be- 
cause the soul doth still abide in a body in 
which the effect of the Fall continues till it 
destroys the body in death, no man can ren- 
der unto God the perfect obedience his law 
demands. (Rom., ch. 7.) Knowing this, 
God has provided for the forgiveness of sin 
after justification ; so that if, through the in- 
firmity of the flesh, we sin, we may obtain 
pardon. 

The death of Christ was not only for our 



THE PLAN OF SALVATION. 12Q 

sins up to the time of our conversion, but to 
the time of our death : even as we do not 
receive the reward he merited for us in part, 
but the whole. So the evangelist (John), 
writing to Christians, exhorting them to 
"sin not," adds: "And if any man sin, we 
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus 
Christ the righteous : and he is the propitia- 
tion for our sins : and not for ours only, but 
also for the sins of the whole world." 

(1 John 2: 1, 2.) 

****** * 

The secret of a happy Christian life is to 
know what God hath promised concerning 
the salvation of your soul, and never to doubt 
that he will keep his every promise. 

I have tried to put the plan of salvation 
before my readers in a plain and simple 
manner, hoping, by so doing, to be the means, 
in God's hand, of leading some precious soul 
to the Saviour. 

Can you, my reader, believe what God 
hath said in this sweet promise? — " Fear not : 
for I hav% redeemed thee, I have called thee 



130 THE GOSPEL PLAN. 

by thy name; thou art mine." (Isa. 43 : 1.) 
If you do believe that God has redeemed 
you, happy are you : if not, 'tis the prayer of 
the writer that you may. 



THE GOSPEL PLAN. 

HOW simple is the gospel plan 
By which a soul may know 
And feel, For me the Saviour died, 
For me his blood did flow. 

' Tis simply needed that whoe'er 

Would be a child of God 
Should pray, and while he prays believe 

God does his faith reward — 

Reward his plea: I'm lost, undone, 

But Jesus died for me ; 
To save me from this wretched state 

He died on Calvary. 



THE GOSPEL PLAN. 131 

I feel my sin, I much regret 

And sorrow for the past. 
O Lord, e'en now my heart renew — 

Let not this anguish last. 

Thus he repents and then believes, 

And gladly finds 'tis true 
That whatsoe'er we ask in faith, 

As promised, God will do. 



a 



3!uj3tificatiott idv tfaftJj." 



JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 

" For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ : 
for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one 
that believeth ; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from 
faith to faith : as it is written, The just shall live by 
faith." (Rom. i : 16, 17.) 

" \T OW we know that what things soever 
IN the law saith, it saith to them who 
are under the law : that every mouth may be 
stopped, and all the world may become guilty 
before God. Therefore by the deeds of the 
law there shall no flesh be justified in his 
sight : for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 
But now the righteousness of God without 
the law is manifested, being witnessed by the 
law and the prophets ; even the righteousness 
of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ 
unto all and upon all them that believe: 
for there is no difference: for all have 
sinned, and come short of the glory of God ; 
being justified freely by his grace through 
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 
whom God hath set forth to be a propiti- 
ation through faith in his blood, to declare 



136 JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 

his righteousness for the remission of sins 
that are past, through the forbearance of 
God ; to declare, I say, at this time his right- 
eousness: that he might be just, and the 
justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." 
(Rom. 3: 19-26.) 

I design, by explaining the above Script- 
ure, to show unto those who have not ac- 
cepted Christ as their Saviour the plan of 
salvation, the love of God devised, whereby 
he has made it possible that they may be 
saved. 

Without going into detail regarding the 
corruption of man's nature, through the sin 
of our first parents, I will state what we each 
acknowledge concerning ourselves — we are 
sinful. We can form some idea of our 
own depravity by a few moments of calm, 
self-searching thought. Think, if you will, 
for a moment — If the thoughts that pass 
through your mind, unknown to any but 
yourself and God, were suddenly exposed 
to mortal view, how quickly would the opin- 
ion of your character, formed by those who 
judged the same by external evidences, be 



JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 1 37 

changed ! Then, remember that God 
knoweth even the thoughts of your heart, 
and is not deceived by your outward acts, 
as are those around you. Oh ! if we would 
appear sinful to mankind, could they read 
our thoughts and fathom our motives, how 
must we appear before God, to whom both 
are clearly and continually manifest ? This 
is a solemn thought for all of us — those who 
are Christians, as well as those who are 
not. 

God, seeing the sinfulness of our nature, 
has provided a way of escape from the pun- 
ishment of sin. He gave unto Moses what 
all acknowledge to be a righteous law — that 
by the law all men might be made to see 
their sinfulness, and become convinced that, 
because of their sin, they merited the wrath 
of God as displayed in his punishment 
thereof. 

The law is God's standard of righteous- 
ness. If any man could render perfect 
obedience to the law, that man would be 
proclaimed righteous by the law. But no 



138 JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 

man has ever kept the law save one — the 
man Christ Jesus. No other will ever keep 
it ; for the law was not given that man, by 
keeping it, might be saved, but to show men 
that, because of their sinfulness, they could 
not keep it, and therefore could not merit 
salvation by anything they could do. 

We see, then, that it is impossible for us 
to obtain salvation by trusting in our works. 
How, then, shall we obtain it ? Is there any 
other way ? Yes ! the way God has provided, 
who hath given his Son a sin-offering for 
us, " that we might be made the righteous- 
ness of God in him " — that all who trust for 
salvation in the merit of him who ful- 
filled all righteousness (but died in our 
stead as a sinner) might receive the reward 
he merited — might have imputed unto them 
the reward of his righteousness, the penalty 
of their sins being laid upon him. 

If Jesus died for all mankind, why is the 
work he did not made effectual to the sav- 
ing of all men ? Simply because men will 
not accept the work Christ has performed 



JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 1 39 

for them — the works they could not per- 
form — as the ground of their hope. They 
trust in their own morality, saying: If I 
do to others as I would have them do to 
me, that is all that is necessary. They 
comply with one commandment or more, 
in a way that they think must place them 
in the favor of God on account of their mer- 
itorious works How shallow their claim 
to God's favor becomes when it is compared 
to God's revealed standard of good works — 
the moral law. They pride themselves on 
keeping one or more of its command- 
ments, not daring to pretend that they 
render a perfect obedience to all its require- 
ments : thus they become their own accus- 
ers, condemning themselves ; for the law 
demands a perfect obedience — to break one 
of its commandments is to break the whole 
law. 

Now, as to those who really desire to be 
saved. If God taught them that keeping 
the law would save them, they would try 
to keep it ; but God has taught them that 



I40 JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 

it will not ; therefore they cry, as did Paul : 
" Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" 
which is as much as to say: Since I can- 
not save myself by keeping the law, tell me, 
Lord, the way I may be saved, and I 
will comply with it, whate'er it may be. 
To all such souls, who are willing to be 
saved in God's own way, he has revealed 
a righteousness " from faith to faith " (see 
Rom. I : 17), which means that God has 
made known to mankind that his way of 
saving men is, by counting all that believe 
what he hath said concerning the salva- 
tion of their souls by the death of his 
Son, as if they, by rendering a perfect 
obedience to the law, had been proclaimed 
righteous thereby, and thus merited their 
salvation. 

The Apostle Paul, to explain justifying 
faith, quotes the following verses from Gen- 
esis, which speak of God's promise to 
Abraham and his faith in the following 
manner: 

" And he brought him forth abroad, and 



JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 141 

said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the 
stars, if thou be able to number them : and 
he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 
And he believed in the Lord ; and he 
counted it to him for righteousness." (Gen. 
15:5,6.) 

Commenting on Abraham's faith as shown 
in the fifteenth chapter of Genesis, Paul 
adds : 

" He staggered not at the promise of God 
through unbelief ; but was strong in faith, 
giving glory to God ; and being fully per- 
suaded that, what he had promised, he was 
able also to perform. And therefore it was 
imputed to him for righteousness. Now it 
was not written for his sake alone, that it 
was imputed to him ; but for us also, to 
whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on 
him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the 
dead ; who was delivered for our offences, 
and was raised again for our justification." 
(Rom. 4 : 20-25.) 

Here we have " Justification By Faith " 
fully, though briefly, explained. If we ask, 
What should we believe, and how, in order 
that we may be saved? we find an answer 



142 JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 

here. We should believe just what Abra- 
ham believed — the promise of God ; only, 
as Abraham believed what God promised 
him, so you must believe what God has 
promised you. God promised Abraham that 
as the stars were for multitude, so should 
his seed be. It seemed impossible to 
Abraham, but because God said so he believed 
it, never doubting. The promise, " So shall 
thy seed be," had reference to the future. 
Abraham, doubting not that it would come 
to pass, kept looking toward the future, 
conducting himself according to the way 
God commanded, showing by his willing 
obedience his gratitude to God for the bless- 
ings he had promised to bestow upon him, 
and evidencing by his continued obedience 
his continued belief that God would fulfil 
his promise. God encouraged Abraham's 
faith continually, by evidences of his favor, 
especially by rewarding his faith in answer 
to prayer. 

Thus God promised and Abraham be- 
lieved ; and the promise made to Abraham 



JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 143 

is to this day being fulfilled, and shall con- 
tinue to be, till all the seed of Abraham " 
shall have entered into the rest remaining 
unto the people of God. 

As Abraham believed God, and was 
counted, because of his having faith, as if 
he were righteous ; so, if you believe God's 
promise (of salvation, by believing on the 
Lord Jesus Christ), you shall be treated as 
though you were righteous, because of your 
faith. 

God's promise concerning you — one far 
greater than that made to Abraham— is 
this: 

" For God so loved the world, that he 
gave his only begotten Son, that whoso- 
ever believeth in him should not perish, 
but have everlasting life." (John 3 : 16.) 

This promise, like God's promise to Abra- 
ham, refers to the future ; but, as with 
Abraham, the blessings begin and continue 
with your faith. If you are grateful for 
God's promise to you, you will do as did 
Abraham — show your gratitude by continu- 



144 JUSTIFIC TION BY FAITH. 

ally keeping the commandments of God to 
the best of your ability, never doubting that 
God will keep his promise, and that you 
shall be saved. God will encourage your 
faith as he did Abraham's, by evidences of 
his favor — especially by rewarding your 
faith in answer to prayer. 

" Have faith in God" 



C^e mot* ano WLitnm of t^e 
Spirit 



C^e ^pint's auot* (#oem), 



THE WORK AND WITNESS OF THE 
SPIRIT. 

FOR the benefit of those who are seeking 
a knowledge of their acceptance with 
God, through the witness of his Spirit to 
their adoption into the family of God as his 
children, I have chosen the subject of " The 
Work and Witness of the Spirit,'' as revealed 
in part of Rom. 5: 5 ; 8: 15, 16, concern- 
ing which I hope to write to the edification 
and comfort of all who may read. 

We are to consider the work the Spirit 
does and the means he uses, not the way 
he performs his work, for this we know not 
of. (John 3 : 8.) 

" And hope maketh not ashamed ; because 
the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts 
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." 
(Rom. 5 : 5.) 

Here we learn that the revelation of the 
love of God toward us is given unto us by 



148 THE WORK AND WITNESS 

the Holy Spirit, whose office it is to take of 
the things of God and reveal them unto us. 
(John 16: 13, 14; I Cor. 2 : 10-13.) 

Therefore, when, realizing the love of God 
to us, we can say in sincerity, " We love 
him, because he first loved us" (i John 4: 
19), we have the evidence that the Holy 
Spirit is within us, " because the love of God 
is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy 
Ghost which is given unto us " (Rom. 5:5); 
for "we have received, not the spirit of the 
world, but the Spirit which is of God ; that 
we might know the things that are freely 
given to us of God." (1 Cor. 2 : 12.) 

" For ye have not received the spirit of 
bondage again to fear ; but ye have received 
the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, 
Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth 
witness with our spirit, that we are the chil- 
dren of God." (Rom. 8:15, 16.) 

" The Spirit itself beareth witness with 
our spirit, that we are the children of God," 
for " because ye are sons, God hath sent 
forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, 



OF THE SPIRIT. 149 

crying, Abba, Father " (Gal. 4:6); therefore 
if we can look unto God as a child to its par- 
ent, and call him our Father, we need no 
longer doubt of our acceptance with God, 
through the witness of his Spirit to our 
adoption into the family of God as his chil- 
dren ; for the very confidence we manifest, 
in calling God Father, is but the expression 
of the inward assurance of the spirit of 
adoption within. 

The question naturally arises : Through 
what means does the Spirit of God reveal 
the love of God to us ? We have aleady re- 
marked that 'tis the office of the Spirit to 
take of the things of God and reveal them un- 
to us, and this he does by disposing us to ac- 
cept the revelation of the love of God toward 
us which God hath given unto us in his 
Word, which revelation came to us through 
the Holy Spirit — " For the prophecy came 
not in old time by the will of man : but holy 
men of God spake as they were moved by 
the Holy Ghost " (2 Peter 1:21), through 
whom all Scripture is given, for "All Script- 



I50 THE WORK AND WITNESS 

ure is given by inspiration of God " (2 Tim. 
3 : 16), who also doth guide us into all 
truth. (John 16: 13 ; 14:26; 15:26, etc.) 

Thus far we have learned that both the 
knowledge of the love of God and the dispo- 
sition to accept it are given unto us by the 
Holy Spirit. 

Scripture also teaches us that we are con- 
vinced of sin, and of righteousness, and of 
judgment to come by the Holy Spirit. 

" And when he is come, he will reprove 
the world of sin, and of righteousness, and 
of judgment : of sin, because they believe 
not on me ; of righteousness, because I go 
to my Father, and ye see me no more ; of 
judgment, because the prince of this world 
is judged." (John 16: 8-II.) 

" Of sin, because they believe not on me " 
(v. 9) — because they will not accept Christ 
as their Saviour. The Spirit reveals the love 
of God in the gift of Christ. (John 13 : 16.) 

" Herein is love, not that we loved God, 
but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be 
the propitiation for our sins.' (1 John 4: 10.) 



OF THE SPIRIT. I5 1 

This is the manifestation of the love of 
God that men reject, rejecting which, by re- 
fusing to accept Christ as their Saviour, they 
are brought under the condemnation of God ; 
for by so doing they become convinced that 
they bring upon themselves the wrath of 
God, according as it is written: "He that 
believeth not the Son ... . the wrath of 
God abideth on him." (John 3 : 36.) 

"The goodness of God leadeth thee to 
repentance." (Rom. 2 : 4.) Through the 
Spirit we are led to repentance— for he 
reveals the goodness of God. 

" By grace are ye saved through faith ; 
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of 
God." (Eph. 2 : 8.) " For unto you it is 
given in the behalf of Christ. ... to believe 
on him " (Phil. 1 : 29) by the Spirit, who 
dispenses the gifts of God " to every man 
severally as he will" (1 Cor. 12 : 11) ; for " no 
man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by 
the Holy Ghost." (1 Cor. 12: 3.) 

Thus we have seen the love of God to us 
is revealed : we are convinced of sin in re- 



152 THE WORK AND WITNESS 

jecting Christ, the manifestation of that love. 
We are led to repentance through the reve- 
lation of the goodness of God, and are given 
power to believe on the only-begotten Son 
of God as our Saviour, through the Holy 
Spirit given unto us. 

" Hereby perceive we the love of God, 
because he laid down his life for us : and 
we ought to lay down our lives for the 
brethren. . . . And this is his command- 
ment, That we should believe on the name 
of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one an- 
other, as he gave us commandment. And 
he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth 
in him, and he in him. And hereby we 
know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit 
which he hath given us." (1 John 3 : 16, 

23, 24.) 

" Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a wit- 
ness to us : for after that he had said before, 
This is the covenant that I will make with 
them after those days, saith the Lord, I 
will put my laws into their hearts, and in 
their minds will I write them/' (Heb. 10: 

15, 16.) 

Here we see how the Spirit bears witness 
through the Word of God. 



OF THE SPIRIT. I 53 

" He that believeth on the Son of God 
hath the witness in himself." (i John 5: 
10.) This will be clearly understood by 
reading the following verses — the first five 
of the same chapter: 

" Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the 
Christ is born of God : and every one that 
loveth him that begat loveth him also that 
is begotten of him. By this we know that 
we love the children of God, when we love 
God, and keep his commandments. For this 
is the love of God, that we keep his com- 
mandments : and his commandments are not 
grievous. For whatsoever is born of God 
overcometh the world : and this is the vic- 
tory that overcometh the world, even our 
faith. Who is he that overcometh the 
world, but he that believeth that Jesus is 
the Son of God ? " (1 John 5 : 1-5.) 

In like manner the Holy Spirit portrays 
in the Word of God the marks, the character 
and the fruit by which the children of God 
may be known. (Gal. 5 : 22 ; Eph. 5 : 9.) 
" By their fruits ye shall know them." (Matt. 



I 54 THE WORK AND WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. 

7 : 20.) If we examine ourselves by the 
standard there given we may know " whether 
we be in the faith" or not. (2 Cor. 13 : 5.) 
" Beloved, if" (after thus examining our- 
selves) " our heart condemn us not, then 
have we confidence toward God " (1 John 
3: 21), " . . . . because we keep his com- 
mandments, and do those things that are 
pleasing in his sight." (1 John 3 : 22.) Then 
can we say with Paul : " Our rejoicing is this, 
the testimony of our conscience, that in sim- 
plicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly 
wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have 
had our conversation in the world " (2 Cor. 
1: 12); and with John we can say: " And 
hereby we know that he abideth in us, by 
the Spirit which he hath given us" (1 John 
3 : 24), who — the Spirit — hath disposed us 
to keep the commandments of God, by so 
revealing the love of God to us in his Word, 
as to kindle a responsive love and gratitude 
within our hearts, from which springs our 
obedience — the obedience of faith, the obe- 
dience of love. 



THE SPIRIT'S WORK. 1 55 



THE SPIRIT'S WORK. 

THERE is a time in ev'ry life 
When in the heart of stone 
The Spirit, the convictor, comes, 

Who comes from God alone, 
And, striving with the sinful heart, 

Brings sorow, fear and shame ; 

The sins of years he brings to view, 

And then condemns the same. 

He makes the heart to feel its guilt, 

Its lost and wretched state, 
And hastens news of Christ to give, 

Before it be too late. 
Then, in the midst of sin and shame, 

He speaks in tones of power 
The Saviour's blessed name, and says, 

Believe and sin no more. 



156 THE SPIRIT'S WORK. 

To each repentant heart he makes 

The way of hope appear, 
Speaks softly of redeeming love, 

And brings the Saviour near — 
Holds him before the anxious eyes 

Till they his beauty see, 
Till in its love the heart breaks forth 

And cries, " He died for me." 

He makes the new-born spirit feel 

The bliss of sins forgiven, 
And bids it live for Christ alone, 

To meet its God in heaven. 
He says : Be faithful, earnest, true, 

And guard thy way from sin 
Till life is o'er, and then in death 

Thou shalt the vict'ry win. 



%nUx. 



PAGE. 

A 

Abide in Me 61 

A False Impression 87 

A Lesson From Nature . . 71 

A Prayer 27 

B 

Before God's Altar in 

Be Reconciled to God. . . 54 

Blessings at Home 38 

C 

Can You Believe 117 

Class Meeting 36 

Come to the Saviour 53 

Come Unto Me 61 

D 

Discouragements 89 

F 

Faith, Hope and Charity. 94 

Follow Jesus 19 

Foretastes of Heaven ... 80 



PAGE. 

G 

God is Love 75 

God's Presence 79 

God Will Bless Our Ef- 
forts 44 

Gratitude's the Only Re- 
turn 83 

Grieve Not the Saviour . . 52 

H 

Habits 112 

His Grace is Sufficient 
for Thee 119 

I 

Improve the Time 108 

Incitement to Labor 45 

Instant in Prayer 109 

It Must Not Be io8 

J 

Jesus 106 

Judge Not 70 

Justification by Faith .... 135 



158 



K 

Keep the Prize in View. . 57 

L 

Let Thy Will With God's 

Will Parallel Run 109 

Life! From Us 'Tis 

Quickly Fleeting 100 

Life's Diary 20 

Listen : Speak . 42 

Live for God 55 

Live it Down 69 

M 

Man and Nature 103 

Meditation 79 

Morning Thoughts 18 

My Aim 13 

O 

Our Doctrines in 

P 

Peaceful Sleep 29 

Preparation for Prayer . . 26 



Redeeming Love 49 



Sabbath Day 33 

Song of Praise 34 

Sow the Seed 43 

Start Well : Press On To 

Win 56 

Sunrise 17 

Sunset 22 

T 

Tell the Story 35 

The Annunciation 113 

The Best Conception of 

God 75 

The Christian's Reward. 58 

The Flight of Time 99 

The Gospel Plan 130 

The Lord's Teaching 

True no 

The Love of God 41 

The Memory of Sin 87 

The Only Refuge 105 

The Plan of Salvation ... 125 
There is Healing With 

the Saviour 118 

The Sinner's Lot 41 

The Soul's Great Need. . 50 

The Spirit's Work 155 

The Value of Time 25 

The Work and Witness 

of the Spirit 147 



i59 



PAGE. 

Though Hard, 'Tis Best. 69 

Thy Spirit, Lord, Im- 
part 93 

'Tis Pleasure to Please 

God 57 

To a Friend in Need Be 

True 83 

Trials 65 



W 

Watch and Pray 21 

We Should Learn This 

Lesson Better 60 

What God Chooses is 

Best 66 

Woman's Work 106 



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